The White Sox held a pitching audition Sunday for their postseason roster, and rookie Brandon McCarthy, Luis Vizcaino and Orlando Hernandez each impressed in his bid to land one of two available spots.
Under consideration as a long reliever, McCarthy pitched five-plus innings of one-run ball as the Sox completed a three-game sweep and ended Cleveland’s playoff hopes with a 3-1 victory at Jacobs Field.
“I know that’s up in the air, and I think I’ve shown what [I] can do,” McCarthy said of his competition with Hernandez. “I think we both have. Whether or not Sunday was an audition was something that didn’t enter my mind.”
The Sox could announce their playoff roster Monday but can wait until Tuesday’s 10 a.m. deadline.
McCarthy, 22, has pitched only twice in relief since being promoted from Triple-A Charlotte but has learned to adapt better in a different role and without his best stuff.
McCarthy (3-2) allowed only eight earned runs in his final 42 2/3 innings and didn’t allow a run Sunday until Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez hit consecutive doubles to start the sixth.
“It was a good day as far as the result,” said McCarthy, who was replaced by Vizcaino. “It was tougher getting there than I would have liked.”
Hernandez has pitched only twice since being pulled from the rotation after a rough start Sept. 17 at Minnesota. He has been bothered by a sore right knee.
But Hernandez pitched three scoreless innings in two appearances at Cleveland.
He threw two innings Sunday to earn his first save since June 28, 2002, as a member of the New York Yankees.
Hernandez has a 9-3 playoff record but declined to speculate on whether he pitched well enough to earn a spot on the playoff roster.
“I have no opinion on the playoff roster or me being on it,” Hernandez said. “It’s the manager’s decision, and I’ll go with whatever the manager says.”
Vizcaino bailed McCarthy out of a jam in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings in his 65th relief appearance.
Before the game, manager Ozzie Guillen declined to say whether Vizcaino would make the postseason roster.
Vizcaino was aided by infielder Willie Harris, who continued his bid for a roster spot by making a backhanded diving stop and flipping to shortstop Juan Uribe to start a double play in the seventh.
Left-handed hitter Ross Gload, who can play first as well as the outfield, also is making a late push for the playoff roster.
